


What They’ll Say About Us

by Kallistos



Series: How Could I Have Known [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Idiots in Love, M/M, like XtRa soft, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:20:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kallistos/pseuds/Kallistos
Summary: Law and Kid might have a piece of paper with their names on it, but they were still having trouble saying those all too important words. The eccentric captains might need just a little help from those who know them best.
Relationships: Eustass Kid/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Nico Robin & Trafalgar D. Water Law, Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji, inpassing
Series: How Could I Have Known [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970008
Comments: 35
Kudos: 122





	1. Husband

“Tra-guy!!! Jaaaggggyyy!!” The voice boomed across the dock. Law mentally cursed himself. Of course Robin would have deciphered the next location of the Poneglyphs. He shot the black haired captain a congenial wave, ignoring the thunderous groan from his…well whatever Kid was now. It had been almost three months since they signed their names together on that dingy island. They had an official looking piece of paper that Penguin insisted on hanging in the mess room (it already had a bullet hole from a particularly nasty run in with the marines), but they had still yet to exchange the words that tended to go along with that sort of thing.

“Yo, Luffy-ya” Law disembarked the wooden planks of the Victoria Punk, having thrown a glance to make sure the Polar Tang breached the surface next to them. He and Kid had been alternating sleeping cabins, although his crew was still wary after the time Kid was drunk and accidentally unscrewed every panel on the sub. Law spared his crew the details of what exactly they were doing to elicit such a reaction, but Kid had been unceremoniously dumped on his own ship afterwards and ignored for a solid week while they pieced the poor Polar Tang back together. They seemed to have reached some sort of agreement on when to sleep where since then, and time had given way to comfortable routine.

“Captain!” Bepo waved from the hatch, “We need you to approve the supply list before we go shopping!”

“I’ll be right there!”

Luffy was on top of him before he had time to turn back.

“Oi, oi, oi, if you’re here to enter the All You Can Eat Pork Bun Competition, don’t bother, I’m going to WIN” Luffy was yelling in his face, as Law tried to disentangle the rubber arms wrapped around him.

“Wouldn’t dream of it Luffy-ya” Law laughed as more members of the Straw Hat Crew materialized behind their captain.

“K-Kid better not either!” Usopp nodded emphatically, trying to hide his shaking legs behind Zoro.

“More competition the better,” The green haired swordsman smirked before receiving a sharp smack on his head.

“And where are you going to get the 1500 Belli entrance fee, hn?” Nami yelled.

“Witch, I’ll make my own damn money in this town,” Zoro responded equally as loud.

“Don’t call Nami~schwan a witch, swine” the blonde sent a vicious kick at Zoro’s head, but Zoro already had an arm up to block. Law didn’t miss the maybe too wide grin the two shot each other as they fell into their natural banter.

“I forgot how lively you all are,” Law laughed, scratching at his nose. It was a summer island, and the mosquitos were out in full force already. A giant metal hand suddenly reached over the crowd of fighting crew members to grab at Law’s hand.

“Yooooo, sweet ring.” Franky leaned over, and, before Law could even blink, slipped the ring off his finger. The cyborg moved it back and forth in deep analysis, “Managed to give iron a burnished pattern and yet no seams. But look at that cool pattern on the inside, it almost looks like a-"

“Hands off,” Kid’s voice boomed from the top of the deck. He was leveling a murderous look at the blue haired man as he sent the ring shooting back into Law’s outstretched palm.

“Broooo. Where’d you get it?” Franky shot him a brilliant smile, “ I want to ask them how they did it?!”

“My hu- “Law paused a fraction of a second before continuing, “-mble friend. He’s a great artisan, but alas, is far to shy to release his name, I’m sorry.”

“Oooh totally, super cool though, he should be proud!,” the cyborg laughed. Law refused to meet the eyes burning a hole in his coat, nor did he miss the way Nami’s eyes narrowed as Law slipped the ring back on his finger.

“I always thought it was customary to save that finger for-“

“Ah, I’m so sorry to interrupt, Nami-ya, but I hear my navigator calling. It was good running in to you all,” Law gave another cheery wave before walking briskly back to his submarine.

“What’s up Captain?” Bepo asked curisouly as Law practically dove through the open hatch of the submarine. Law sat in the entryway for a moment wide-eyed, taking a few deep breaths before turning to his fuzzy crew mate.

“Do you know, Bepo, I think I’m nervous,” Law blinked in surprise. It wasn’t like he’d never been nervous before. He had been nervous before facing Doflamingo, before planning the attack on Kaido, before handing the 100 hearts to the Marines, but that was all fear for the body, fear of loss. This fear….this was different, softer. There was something about announcing their whatever-they-were status to the rambunctious group of pirates that made Law's heart seize. 

He was someone who derived pleasure from shocking people with the brutality of truth. Life was hard and cruel, and people who believed differently should be kicked off their cloud of privilege. Maybe that’s why he wanted to keep it all to himself, this small warmth that flared through him every time he caught sight of their matching rings. Maybe he wasn't ready for it to be real yet, open for all eyes to gawk at. Besides, if they couldn't even say the words that typically came with this sort of thing to each other, how they hell were they going to say them to anyone else? They certainly weren't a conventional whatever-they-were. Was it so bad that he wanted to enjoy it a little longer?

Kid’s furious face flashed through his mind.

Now how to explain that to his whatever-he-is.

***

Kid was seeing red as he watched his idiotic whatever-he-is scamper back to his submarine. He turned his fury on the source of his most recent ire.

“Hey Straw Fucks, PISS OFF” His yell was met with a sea of blank stares.

“So grumpy.”

“Asshole.”

“W-what a j-jerk, Zoro beat him up,”

“Hn?”

“Super Uncool.”

“What uncultured swine.”

“GET THE FUCK OFF MY SHIP” He screamed as Luffy stuck out his tongue and pulled down on his lower eye.

“Nyahhhh” The straw hat captain turned with a start, “No meat for Kid.”

“No meat for Kid!!” Killer’s voice giggled over his shoulder, “better tell Trafalgar~!”

“I’ll kill you.” He turned to go find his idiot whatever-he-is, metal hurtling from all facets of the ship slammed into his arm as he walked down the gangplank .

“C-captain K-kid,” Penguin nervously gave the glowering red head a salute, “Captain’s out with Bepo. I thought he would have told you?”

“Does it look like he fucking told me?” Kid loomed angrily over the poor first mate.

“N-no, um he ah…said he wanted a drink!” Penguin brightened like he had found the One Piece itself.

“Oh did he,” Kid felt the walls of the submarine start to vibrate, “And does he expect me to go stomping into every bar like a jealous girlfriend to find him?”

“Yes?” Penguin shrugged with a small smile. He barely ducked in time as a screw went shooting out of the wall towards his head, “K-kid s-sir, please d-don’t d-destroy the ship…again”

Kid gave a noncommittal grunt before stepping back through the hatch. Penguin managed a small sigh of relief before a panel fell on his head.

Kid found his whatever-he-is in the fifth bar he tried, dingy exterior giving way to surprisingly plush interior. Empty of all patrons except a bartender and one lone man in a white spotted hat.

“Whisky neat,” Kid grunted to the bartender as he slid onto a velvet bar stool.

“It’s been two hours, Eustass-ya, I think you failed your knightly quest.” Law hummed into his gin and tonic.

“Good thing I’m not looking for a maiden, then.” Kid retorted, throwing a nod at the bartender in thanks.

“What am I drinking?” Law asked suddenly.

“The fuck is he drinking?”Kid grunted at the bartender

“A G&T”

“A G&T” Kid looked back at Law with a smirk.

“Do you even know what that is?” Law sighed.

“Does that matter?” Kid was confused about what this was all about, “I’ll just fucking ask.” Law paused for a moment, taking a sip before shrugging ambivalently.

“I suppose.”

“The fuck are you being so evasive for,” Kid leaned back, shooting a look at the bartender who quickly went back to cleaning glasses, “you fuckin embarrassed of me or something.”

“Have you done something embarrassing, Eustass-ya?” Law retorted against the rim of his glass, unable to start a conversation he hadn’t even finished understanding for himself. Eustass just stared moodily at his drink before making a scoffing noise.

“You let him take off the stupid ring.” He finally mumbled.

“Oh.” Law covered up his surprise with another sip of his drink, “I admit I was at a loss for how to act in that situation.”

“You’re never at a fucking loss of what to say,” Eustass snorted.

“Exactly,” Law hummed. They let the silence settle over them, neither knowing exactly the right words to break it.

***

  
“Law-San”

“Robin-ya”

“You’re looking jovial,” the smile on the black haired woman was as enigmatic as ever.

“I’m pleased that we found another clue, though It seems we were not fast enough to get here first.” Law slung his cross body bag full of parchment over his shoulder, “I’m assuming that’s where you’re going,” Law tilted his head towards the full bag at her own side.

“Indeed, although I believe I’ve lost the interest of the rest of my crew, they seem to be preoccupied with a local tradition of seeing who can eat the most before vomiting.” Robin sighed, “I admit this is a facet of their competitive nature that I cannot seem to grasp."

“Sometimes there is no deciphering idiocy.” Law nodded along, suddenly realizing where his whatever-he-his and almost half their respective crews might have run off to. “Well shall we go together then.”

“How very un-pirate like Law-san,” Robin smiled with a nod of her head.

“I’m learning to choose my battles,” Law gave a small smile in return as he continued to walk, “Plus I feel like I will have more to gain from your expertise than you will mine.”

“This is true” They fell into a comfortable gait with each other as they wound their way through the festive streets. Law’s eyes followed a few laughing people as they ran towards the source of what must have been the center of town. The sound of cacophony trailed after them as they meandered past.If a particularly aggressive laugh echoing through the buildings drew a small smile from the raven haired man, Robin didn’t comment.

They pressed on through alleyways that took sharper turns until they spilled out in front of a dusty looking shop. The letters on the window were too worn to make out. The window display hadn't fared better cluttered as it was with an assortment of junk, from bold fabrics faded in the sun to dusty looking costume jewelry. Had Usopp been with them, he would have screamed when a grayish looking ball stood up and released a sharp toothed yawn. It was a shop full of junk, but there was no denying the strange pull this place had on them. Law held the door for Robin to enter.

The inside didn’t improve their assessment of the shop. They picked their way through racks of clothing, piles of small boxes from ornate to plain wood, journals that looked like they had been dropped in the sea a few too many times.

“Welcome, welcome” a papery voice floated down from the second floor. They watched as a crone, no taller than Chopper made her way stiffly down the steps.

“Good afternoon, Obaasan,” Law gave a polite bow when the woman finally reached them, “I believe you know why we are here.” The woman gave a serene smile before walking over to a small desk hidden behind a stack of rotting chests. She hopped up on the chair, settling down into its plush worn velvet before pointing to the plain looking door to her left.

“You wish to enter.”

“If it will take us where we need to go, then yes.” Robin’s measured tones showed no hint of surprise.

“They you know the price.” The woman nodded again.

“We do not,” Law and Robin exchanged a small glance before turning back to the woman.

“The price is the thing most precious to you. It will be returned when you come back, of course, but as you see, not many do.” The woman coughed gently before extending her hand behind her. They took in the sea of junk, some had to be over a hundred years old.

“Can you tell us what is on the other side?” Robin asked.

“What you seek,” the woman said simply. Robin turned to Law and gave a small shrug.

“It seems we must.” Robin stood for a minute, thinking before reaching up and cutting off a lock of her hair.

A blinding blue light suddenly shone from the cracks in the door.

“Acceptable,” the woman nodded, placing the locks of hair in a tissue before stowing it in her desk draw, “you may enter.”

“I will wait for you on the other side, Law-san.” Robin nodded before throwing the door open without hesitation and walking through. The door slammed shut behind her, light extinguishing as quickly as it appeared.

Law thought for a moment. His most precious thing? He was loathe to give up his weapon, but he placed Kikoku on the table in front of the woman. He waited a moment, but the door remained decidedly plain.

“Precious, but impersonal. A weapon is what you use to protect that which is precious.” The woman said sagely. Law huffed before pulling the white hat off his head. The one his sister had picked out for him as a birthday present. His chest clenched as he fingered the worn fabric, but when he looked up the woman was still shaking her head.

“It is precious in a comforting way, but that memory is not the most important thing to you. Maybe before, but not now."

Acid curled in his gut as the woman just smiled patiently at him. He hadn’t even had the damn thing for that long, how could it have been his most precious item? Still, he took his sweet time sliding the ring of his finger, watching in dismay as the light around the door grew brighter and brighter.

“Acceptable,” the woman nodded when he finally dropped the ring in her outstretched hand. Law just stared at it, hesitating for a moment before walking towards the door.

“Please take care of it,” the words slipped out of his mouth, as he inwardly cursed himself. Showing you care about something was a good way of getting it taken from you.

The woman just kept her placid smile as Law stepped through the doors, suddenly unsure of what he would find on the other side.

When he opened his eyes he was staring up at a lavender sky. He sat up gingerly, trying to orient himself but his mind couldn’t seem to process exactly what he was seeing. Clouds in every shade of pastel drifted by, but somehow never interrupted the pleasant shine of the sun. An endless sea of grass that was grass, but not. Pale green and soft to the touch, each shoot was perfectly even, and not a speck of dirt to be seen. His eyes searched for something familiar and found a tree in the center of all the green, larger than any Law had ever seen. It’s gnarled branches were heavy, burdened by hundreds of thousands of dangling objects. There was a melancholic air about it that seemed misplaced in the midst of such beauty. 

“Robin-ya” He called out softly, but the words got lost on a gentle breeze that was neither too hot nor too cold. It was like he stepped into a painting, tranquil and pleasant, but stagnant. No birds chipped, no animals prowled around, just Law and a tree and endless green. This was a lovely place, but nothing that would make it worth leaving his treasures behind. He took as step towards the tree when he hear a voice.

“Law! Law!” The laughter made Law’s heart stop. He turned in time to see a little girl bursting towards him. Brunette pigtails bobbed in the wind as a long pink dress tangled around short legs.

“Lamy?” Law felt the analytic part of his brain spark to life, even as his heart shattered at the sight. What was his sister doing here? Where was he? That couldn’t be his sister? Was he dead?

“You remember, you remember,” Arms threw themselves around Law’s neck, and Law’s body moved to return the embrace before he even realized it. She was warm in his arms, from the rays of the sun or from the sheer fact that blood was pumping through her veins and she was breathing hot air against his cheek. She was alive?

It was the scar that did it. The little scar on her shoulder from where she had smacked against his table trying to climb up and see what he was studying. Law felt a small sob burst from his throat. He buried his face in her tiny neck (had she really been this small), and inhaled the sweet scent of sugar and lemon that always reminded him of her. Lamy patiently stroked his head as he felt himself become untethered from his body, so lost he was in this picture perfect recreation.

Or maybe he was dead? He had done all he needed to do, didn’t he? There wasn’t anything among the living that could compare to this feeling…was there?

“Do ya wanna go see mom and dad?”

Mom and dad? Law pulled away from the girl, grabbing both her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. There was nothing sinister about her smile, just something pure and unadulterated.

Love?

Is that what it looked like? He was only now beginning to recognize it again, after all these years. He saw it sometimes at night, when limbs were haphazardly entwined in sleep, he would open his eyes and see it there leaning over him in the moonlight. Just the smallest beginning of that look, hidden in the depths of yellow eyes.

Who did he know with yellow eyes?

“Mom, dad come see, come see!! Law is here!!” His sister's giggle almost distracted him again, but no. Yellow eyes and red hair and lips that made a game of finding his whenever they stumbled into an empty alleyway. There was someone wasn’t there?

“They’re coming up over the hill, behind ya! Look, Law, look!” His sister tugged on his sleeve as she pointed.

Law? The name clawed at his memories. His sister had never called him Law. He was Water when he had last seen her. Now he was Law. He was Law and he had someone. Someone he wanted to see again, like an insistent pounding on the inside of his head that was somehow drowning out the pain in his chest. A name that his subconscious kept repeating over and over.

“Look, look they’re here, Law!” The hands became more desperate now, almost ripping the fabric of his jacket.

He took one last look at the shinning, insistent face of his sister before he closed his eyes. Closed his eyes and kept them shut, for even as his brain was racing at these long dormant emotions, his body knew it had to stop. Stop looking or he would stay here forever. He had to get out of here, he suddenly realized, or he’d never leave. Never leave and never see him again.

“Law? Law, hunny it’s us. It’s mom and dad.”

“Son? Oh god, we’ve missed you.” The sound of their voices ripped through Law. He covered his eyes and bent over, curling himself in a ball as tightly as he could. He was a child again, he was hiding under the dead bodies of his people, hands pressed over his eyes praying to every god he didn’t believe in that the soldiers would not find him.

“Law hunny, Law hunny look at us,”

“Let’s see your face, you’ve gotten so big, kid.”

Kid.

The name sprung into his head so fiercely, his eyes flew open. He looked down at his hands and there it was, the faintest imprint of a ring on his finger, slightly pale against his suntanned skin.

“Law, don’t you want to hug us, we missed you so much.”

“C’mon son, sit with us a while. Tell us how you’ve been.” Arms wrapped around his hunched shoulder and Law felt the blood well from where he bit his lip. He couldn’t turn around and hug them back even though every part of him was screaming to. Screaming to just give in, it would only take one movement and-

“I have someone, mom and dad. I have a husband.” The words tumbled from his lip, even as he fought the impulses that raced through him, “ His name is Kid and we got married 3 months ago and I hated him at first and sometimes I still do, but it’s even more terrifying that I don’t and still I want to go back. I want to go back to him.”

“What husband, Law? There’s just us, Law”

“Just your family. Just us and we love you! Why aren’t you looking at us, Law?” Hands shook at his shoulders.

Kid. His someone. He had to get back to him.

“Didn’t you miss us, Law? We’re a family again, you don’t need anyone else.”

“We’re here now, we don’t have to be separated ever again. Just look at us Law.” He barely felt when his sisters hands joined in, when her voice joined the chorus of pleading.

Kid. Kid. His husband. He had to get back and he had to tell him.

He didn’t know how long he sat there hunched over staring at the empty space on his left hand. His mind repeating Kid’s name over and over, a mantra to block out the sweet words of the creatures with the faces of his family.

When he felt a hand finally touch his shoulder again, he jolted so hard his forehead hit the hard ground.

“Law-san,” the gentle voice of Nico Robin drifted over him.

“Ah, I’m sorry for that display. Please give me a moment,” Law felt bone achingly weary as he blinked up at the black haired woman. He looked around warily, but his family was gone. It was just him, Robin, a tree and a single door that lead to no where, “Have you been waiting long, Robin-ya?”

“It’s alright,” Robin nodded politely, “I reconciled with my demons many years ago, but they were quite persistent in this place. I can see why that shop was full of such old things, yes?”

“Indeed,”Law sighed tiredly, "Those who prized expensive beauty would not be tempted by the past. And those who clung to the past as an old token would find it hard to leave when confronted with the real thing. Or a very good copy at least. ” A copy is all they were, he realized now, pictures pulled from the deepest part of his memory. They were dead and long gone. Real was here.

He looked down at his hands again and a wave of longing coursed through him. He wanted to be in his submarine, he wanted to eat curry with crew and then he wanted to crawl into bed with his his stupid, irksome husband.

“Yours was most curious, I have to say.” Law stared at the giant tree still perfectly swaying against the temperate breeze, its treasures dull despite the endless sunshine,

“I was told I have my fathers hair and my mothers eyes,” she smiled fondly, “They are the only things I have to remember them by. Luckily the hair was acceptable, I was rather loathe to pluck out my eye.”

“Ah,” was all Law could said. They stood there a moment staring at the tranquil sea of grass, minds wandering to the beauty they had lost in lands now forgotten to the world.

“I must admit to being rather tired of this place. If you would like, I have already copied the inscriptions on the poneglyph by the tree. I am more than happy to share them with you once we have returned.” Robin patted the satchel at her hips.

“That is a generous offer, and I find that I too would rather be away from this place.” Law didn’t even hesitate, there was no other recourse. He couldn’t go back into those fields if he ever wanted to come out again.

Robin just inclined her head as he pulled the door open. 

Neither felt any desire to look back.

Blue light blinded them and when they blinked again they were back in the musty old shop. Which made the intrusive amount of colors stand out even more.

“WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?!-”

“GIVE US BACK ROBIN-“

“They’ve been gone for almost 2 days, you MUST know where they went-"

Law scanned over rubber arms wrapped around one of the banisters. A green haired swordsman staring at a bucket of weapons, the blond chef leaning softly against him, a furry brown reindeer alternating between sobbing and rifling through an old tome.

No, no, no, there.

The breath escaped him as his eyes found the bright red hair, one metal hand wrapped in the old woman’s shawl.

“Answer the god damn question, woman, I will rip you-“

“Ah, welcome back travelers,”the old woman turned a pleasant smile to Law, “There’s a very insistent man here to see you, young man.”

“Ah, please excuse my husband Obaasan, he has very poor manners.”

“H-husband?!” A chorus of voices yelled as jaws dropped to the floor.

It was worth the piercing noises to see the grin that lit up his husband’s face.

“Fuckin right!”   


Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to share him after all. 

That night on the submarine, after he had eaten curry with his crew and crawled into bed with his husband planting kisses on every inch of his skin, he let the words fall out of his lips like water.

“Kid?” The name still felt like magic, it brought him back here. Here in one of their warm beds where he could finally introduce the memory of his family to his husband, “Have you ever heard of the Tragedy of Flevance?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, eyeball deep in two ongoing KiriBaku fics: I should write a multi chapter KidLaw fic.  
> These two characters have really grown on me, and I'm enjoying diving into their psyche more. This might have seemed a little ooc for Law, but it felt right given what we know of him as a child. There will be a few more chapters diving into those other pesky words, hopefully fluffier than this one. Sorry/not sorry for the angst.  
> Thank you for the lovely comments and kudos, let me know what you think!


	2. Beautiful

They stood on the cliffside and watched as the sun began its descent below the line of the sea, glittering like a fresh water pearl.

“Guess it was worth the stop on this dumb island,” Kid grunted, letting his hand open against the push of fingers through his.

“You do know how to ruin a beautiful view don’t you,” Law hummed with a smile. Kid just rolled his eyes and let the quiet descend back over them.

“You know, in a romantic book, you would have said that I was the most beautiful view.” Law quipped drily after a moment.

“The thought you reading a romance makes me want to puke.” Kid’s lip curled in disgust, but he gave a small tug against the hand in his, “‘sides ya got enough nice words outta me.”

“I don’t think ‘fuckin’ right’ counts, Eustass-ya.” Law gave an exaggerated sigh.

“Not like you call me anything nice,” Kid couldn’t keep the slight annoyance from his voice. It had been a few weeks since their run in with the Straw Hats, and Kid still had yet to parse out all the emotions that forced themselves down his throat. From watching Law practically appear through a door in some musty ass pawn shop to hearing that word so casually drop from his lips to holding him while he recounted the worst day of his life.

It hooked its claws into Kid, the voice that demanded that he care in a way he had never been asked to before.

“What would rather I call you, Eustass-yaaa,” Law held out the ‘a’, infusing a girlish whine that made Kid shudder.

“I’d sooner make myself deaf.” Kid grunted.

“‘Idiot’ has a promising ring to it, and it’s comfortably familiar.” Law mused with a smile.

“How ‘bout 'fuckin sex god',“ Kid leveled Law with a shit-eating grin, “at least that’s what the last girl said after I was done with her.” Kid already anticipated the blue light that flared around him, and laughingly jumped out of the parameters of Law’s Room.

“Seems awfully redundant, doesn’t it. Maybe that’s what I should call you. Awful and Redundant,” Law managed to corral the cackling red head towards the edge of the cliff.

“Call me whatever you want now,” Kid finally stopped with a cocky grin, “I know how to get you to scream my name.” Law rolled his eyes but a small smile curled onto his face. The blue light dissipated as his hands busied themselves suddenly, pulling off his hat and running a hand through his tousled raven hair.

The fading sun caught on the brisk moments, and Kid couldn’t help but stare. Bathed in a light orange glow, the exhaustion that always settled around Law’s eyes seemed to disappear, his smile became a little wider, shoulders a little less tense. Nervous eyes finally found his, and Kid’s chest gave a sharp tug. Law looked…good. More than good. Kid felt words start forming on his tongue.

“I wanted to ask you something,” Law began hesitantly, “I know its not important to you, but I-“

A small gasp drifted over from a particularly thick clump of trees.

Both Law and Kid turned sharply at the sound. Kid felt Law’s Room activate as he grabbed for the metal singing to him in the air. He held out a hand, calling whatever it was towards him. He felt the air itself vibrate as a white sword came hurtling into it. Kid looked down at the familiar hilt-

“Get your dirty hands off her,” Kid looked up in time to see a shirtless green hair swordsman leap out of a bush, two swords already in an X formation.

“Wait, moss head,” A blonde haired man came crashing after him, one hand trying to buckle his belt, the other wrapped around a black suit jacket.

“The fuck-,” Was all Kid got out before he was blocking the two sword strike with his metal hand. The pieces in his arm shattered under the force of the blow. Kid grit his teeth in rage, barely managing to stop the metal swords in their place mere centimeters from his now exposed ribs.

“Oi, marimo, knock it off,” Sanji yelled at the glowering swordsman who was sweating with the effort to gain control of his swords.

“I thought we left the ship to avoid fighting…”Law gave a tired sigh.

“He touched my sword,” the anger radiating from Zoro was palpable.

“He fucking disintegrated my arm,” Kid felt his haki flair as he kept his eyes trained the green haired man in front of him.

“W-wait, guys,” Sanji’s voice held a worried tone.

“Safe landing, Eustass-yaaaa.” Law said sweetly.

Kid turned see Law pointing to the ground with a saccharine smile. Kid looked down in time to watch the ground crumble underneath him and Zoro. _Oh shit._ He was weightless for a moment before he dropped into the churning ocean below.

***

“Idiot,” Law mumbled under his breath, dispelling Room with a pop.

“Trafalgar, wait!” Sanji managed to get his other arm through his suit jacket before turning to Law, “Can’t you bring them back?”

“I could,” Law gave the jagged cliffside a disdainful sniff before turning towards the way he came, “but I don’t feel like it.”

“Why not?” Sanji asked, surprise melting his lingering annoyance with the troublesome swordsmen.

“They both could use a cold shower.” Law gave a small roll of his shoulders before checking the watch on his wrist, “and I have other things to do.”

“But isn’t Kid a Devil Fruit user, won’t he sink?” Sanji pulled out a cigarette, trying to hide his curiosity as he lite the end. He didn’t particularly care if the red haired captain sank or not, but it seemed weird that Law was so unconcerned.

Law just turned to the blonde with an small smile. “Don't worry Sanji-ya, my husband is not that weak." He threw up a casual wave before making his way back towards the pathway. Sanji stared at the man’s retreating form for a moment in shock. 

Husband, eh?

He hand't been sure if they had misread the situation on that last island. Half the Straw Hats still swore it was a joke, but Robin had been insistent, shaking her head conspiratorially whenever someone asked. It made Sanji feel strange. Sure he had this new thing with Zoro and sure they were stealing snippets of peace any chance they got, but marriage? To a man? Sanji took a maybe longer than necessary drag on his cigarette.

Strange.

He shook his head and sent a last, lingering look over the edge of the cliff. It was at least a 100 foot drop to the outcropping of rocks that peaked underneath. Sanji let out a heavy exhale before turning around.

“Better tell the captain.” He mumbled and followed the Surgeon of Death back down the mountain.

***

Kid was heaving by the time he managed to grab onto a craggy rock.

“Where is she?” Hands were grabbing at his coat, pulling him up onto a flatter patch of rock. Kid coughed up a lungful of sea water, and pushed blindly at the hands clawing at him.

“Fuckin’ hold on,” Kid grunted once he was mostly out of the water. He felt for the familiar call of tempered steel, before giving it a quick yank. The sword came flying up out of the sea, and Zoro snatched it from the air. The connection severed, Kid dropped back onto the ground with an exhausted thud.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Kid catching his breath, Zoro futilely wiping the sword down with his soaked haramaki.

“We’re stuck,” Zoro announced when he finally looked up. They were splayed out on a narrow stretch of beach, surrounded by imposing walls of stone on all three sides and a line of jagged rocks infront of them. It was a vague miracle they survived in one piece. 

“Guess you better start swimming.” Kid grunted. He wasn’t sure how long he had been floundering in the sea, but it left him absolutely drained. He grit his teeth in frustration, feeling the loss of his metal arm all the more acutely. He sent a sharp kick towards the swordsman, but his foot connected with steel instead.

“What was that for?!” Zoro’s eyes flashed angrily.

“My arm,” Kid grunted, throwing another halfhearted kick that was blocked once again.

“Make another.”

“Too tired,” Kid grunted. He barely got the syllables out before a sword tip vibrated centimeters from his skin. He felt his arm start to go numb, a sure sign he was abusing his already depleted energy, but there was no way was he going to let himself be chopped in half by an asshole swordsman, “Not that tired, fucker. You surprised me the first time, ain’t gonna touch me again.”

Zoro continued his glare for a heartbeat longer before giving a half shoulder shrug, “Then we will continue this later.” He re-sheathed his sword with a smooth clang and sprawled out on the beach next to the captain.

Kid felt his eyelids flutter close, ignoring the small sag of relief that flared from his tired muscles. If there was one thing he knew about Zoro, it was his absurd adherence to some archaic laws of chivalry. If he said their pointless ass fight was on hold, Kid could recover his strength in peace.

“How’d you know?”

Kid’s eyes fluttered back open as he turned a questioning look to the swordsman, “know what?”

“You know.”

“Did you hit your fucking head?” Kid closed his eyes again, feeling the pressure of a headache rise behind his eyes.

“Trafalgar.”

“What about ‘im?” Kid felt a flash of annoyance and something that felt awfully close to chagrin. He and Law HAD gone to that specific spot off a recommendation from Robin with the intention of being alone. There were things he still needed to say, he knew that. Things that Law also wanted to say. Being on that cliff in the silence against the light of the dying sun, Kid felt…something. Something he probably should have verbalized had they not been interrupted by…fuck

Kid groaned and rubbed his hand over his face.

“How’d you know?” Zoro asked again, this time turning to face the captain.

“I didn’t,” Kid let his hand rest behind his head. Law couldn’t have been upset by that, could he have? Petty jealousy and dancing around emotions. They had always just said whatever they wanted to say, fuck the consequences. Wasn’t like he couldn’t handle whatever Law wanted to ask him, so why was he getting all nervous? “We had a good fuck and then I asked.”

“That’s it?” Zoro’s voice was surprised, “Just asked? Nami said there’s other stuff you gotta do.”

“Not my style,” Kid grunted back. He didn’t particularly feel like having this conversation with the guy who sliced through his arm, but he sensed the list of inane questions that were bubbling under the surface, “do whatever the fuck you want. No one else matters.”

“My nakama matter,” the reply was quiet but firm.

“Mine do too, dipshit, just ain’t their business.” Kid shrugged, “Between me and him.”

“So you just said it?” Zoro’s face looked agitated, like he was concentrating too hard on something that was probably too simple.

“The fuck are you trying to ask?” Kid bit out.

Zoro sat up angrily, and started to say something then stopped. He muttered “damn it…” and rubbed at his face which was turning a particularly bright shade of red.

“Just fucking ask,” Kid rolled his eyes. He felt like he was talking to a thirteen year old girl, “haven’t figured out how to put it in yet? Get a fuck tone of lube an-“

“How did you know you loved him?” Zoro finally blurted out. The words dried up in Kid’s mouth

“Love?!” Kid sprang up to face the swordsman who’s eyes were as wide as his were, “I don’t… I don’t fucking…the fuck kind of question is that?”

“Then why did you marry him?”

“I don’t know, cause I fucking felt like it.”

“Thats idiotic.”

“You’re idiotic.” Both men threw themselves back on the beach, chests heaving.

Love?

Kid could barely formulate the word in his brain without acid rising in his gut. Love never fucking got him anywhere. Love was a luxury for those who didn’t wake every morning wondering if it would be their last. He didn’t…love. Sure as fuck Law didn’t either.

Did he?

“I just asked cause I felt like it, then shit happened and the next day we just signed some fucking paper,” Kid huffed finally, eyes straining to see the stars just beginning to emerge, “doesn’t mean anything.” He felt the bitter taste of the lie, but his mind refused to acknowledge it.

“I would never do that.”

“Well gold fucking star for you.” Kid grunted, “Why the fuck you even asking? Going to get on one knee like some teary eyed bitch for that blonde?” Their eye met for a second, gazesfierce. But whatever Zoro saw in Kid’s glare made him turn away with a shake of his head and a sigh.

Kid couldn’t help but feel like he was being scolded.

“Haven’t decided,” Zoro said firmly, sitting up again “but when I heard he was getting married to that woman…I knew I couldn’t go through that again.” Zoro gave a shrug and turned his gaze to the open sea, “Figured the only way I can prevent that is to do something about it myself.”

“Sounds gay.” Kid huffed petulantly, ignoring the glare Zoro was leveling him with.

“You’re the one who married a man.” Zoro said drily.

“Told you. Just fucking felt like that.” Kid shrugged.

“I don’t like it.” Zoro said, lips forming a pronounced pout.

“Why the fuck not?”

“Seems dishonorable,” Zoro’s eyes stared into his, “Marriage is still a vow, a code of honor. Shouldn’t do it if you don’t respect it.”

“That’s bullshit,” Kid laughed harshly, “That’s almost dumber than the shit I’m saying. You do it because one day you see what they look like when they’re fucking happy and its fucking beautiful. You realize there ain’t much happiness in this life, so when you get it you should do everything you can to protect it. Simple, easy, done. That’s all there is to it. Don’t need any other fancy words for it.”

Zoro stared at the red haired captain for a moment before his face broke into a grin.

“Sounds pretty gay.”

“Fucker,” Kid grinned as he felt the familiar hum of iron. “C’mon, tide's coming in.” Kid finally pushed himself up from where the sea water lapped at his feet. He closed his eyes in concentration, calling out to the threads of ore lacing through the mountainside. When he opened them again, Zoro was staring slack jawed at the metal steps protruding from the cliff side, leading back to the top.

“You could have done this the whole time?” Zoro grunted.

“Needed to rest,” Kid shot back before taking a deep breath,“ ‘sides, was planning on just letting you drown.”

Zoro nodded at that. If there was one thing that both men had in common, it was the small circle of people they gave a fuck about. That Kid had extending that circle a fraction of an inch to help Zoro? Well…Kid placed a confident foot on the sturdy iron step feeling surprisingly happier than he had before.Maybe there was something to this talking shit.

They followed the loud yells and clanging of swords to a pub on the edge of the town.

“Yo-hooo~ our mighty swordsman has returned!”

“Captain! What happened to your arm?”

“Broke. Get me a fucking drink,” Kid’s eyes scanned the room, frown tugging at his lips when he couldn’t find the familiar white hat. He accepted the beer pressed wordlessly into his hands and drained it.

“Don’t drink too much, Cap’n Kid!”A laughing voice yelled from across the bar. He looked over to see Ikkaku giving him a wink, one arm slung casually over Nami's shoulder.

“Why not?” Kid’s eyes narrowed on the woman but she merely laughed again. Kid’s temper flared, he was in no mood for games. He needed to try out that talking shit.

“Cause Nami here told the Captain about this amazing island,” she grinned fiercely at the giggling girl holding some fruity drink.

“Paradiso!” Nami yelled as the bar cheered, drunkenly echoing the name. Kid was suddenly aware of the entire bar of idiots staring at him and smiling, “It's only a week away from here!”  
“And it’s perfect!”

“Perfect for what?” Kid already had his hands wrapped around another mug of beer. He drained it in a similar fashion, “Where the fuck is he anyway?” The two girls exchanged a confused glance before turning back to the Captain.

“Your…honeymoon?” Ikkaku finished the word with a questioning lilt. Realization spread over her features a second later at the look of confusion on Kid’s face, “Cap’n…didn’t tell you.”

“Hn?” Kid grunted, “the fuck is that?” The girls exchanged another large eyed glance.

“Uhhh…”

“It’s something um..newly married people do,” Nami rescued the faltering girl, “It’s a time to relax and spend time with each other after the weddings. I mean, it’s a tradition where I come from… I just…suggested...”

“Suggested what?” Kid’s voice was deadly, unease snaked through him. Why the fuck would Law be talking about this…honeymoon? Sure they didn’t get much time alone, but they were pirates not shop owners. Not like they could abandon their crew and fuck off for a few days, could they?

“I-if you guys were having one. I know you didn’t have a big wedding o-or anything,” Nami looked nervously to Ikkaku, “Ikkaku thought a honeymoon would be nice and I just suggest a place that is really, really famous. He, um, said he would think about it.

“When did he say that?” An ugly realization dawned on Kid.

“Um…this afternoon at the cartographers. I showed him the log pose.” She smiled nervously and gave a supportive thumbs up.

He had gone so far as to ask after the log pose? Kid didn’t hide his exhausted groan. He might have doubly fucked up.

“Captain! Hi!” Ikkaku jumped up and began waving frantically at the door. Kid turned to see his husband standing there, frowning.

“Look what the tide dragged in,” Law said drily, “took you long enough.”

Kid was silent as he walked over, picked the scowling man up with his one arm and threw him over his shoulder. Law’s protests were drowned out by the thunderous cheer as Kid strode purposefully out of the bar.

Kid was silent all the way back up the mountain, finally depositing Law on the same cliffside they were at hours earlier.

“So dramatic,” Law huffed, brushing invisible dust off his spotted jeans, “You didn’t need to carry me here like a child.”

“Then stop acting like one,” Kid retorted, laying himself down next to the seated surgeon.

“Me?” Law turned to him indignantly, “Says the man with the attention span of a spider monkey.”

“Wouldn’t get distracted if you just said what you wanted to say,” Kid shrugged into the dirt, but he reached a hand up to drag at the back of Law’s collar.

“You’re impossible,” Law fell back so they were both staring up at the night sky.

“Well? Whatcha wanna ask?” Kid asked.

“Don’t wanna ask anymore.” Law parroted mockingly.

“Bullshit.” Kid turned his face, so he could see the man’s expression in the bright moonlight, “this about that…honeymoon thing?”

“It was a dumb idea.” Law muttered as he crossed one leg over the other.

“Let me decide that,” Kid said, “Don't even know what the fuck it is.”

“Just a tradition where I came from,” Law hesitated before continuing, “It wasn’t called that on Felvance though. It was called a Marking.”

“So what’s that?”

“It’s the same sort of idea,” Law tilted his head back, a small frown pulled at his lips, “Except the couple spends three days together deciding what their mark will look like. It’s tradition to get matching ones to symbolize the unification, usually incorporating elements from both of their families."

“Marks? Like tats?” Kid asked, curiosity piqued.

“You’ve seen them enough to know,” Law said drily, plucking at his shirt, "most of mine are a derivative of my parents'."

“So you wanna get matching tats?” Kid’s grin was fierce as he propped himself up on his arm.

“You have a talent for taking the solemnity out of everything,” Law sighed, “but something like that. They would have to be traditional designs for it to count.”

“Fuck, let’s do it!”

“Really?” Law blinked up at him in surprise.

“Why not” Kid shrugged, snaking his arm around Law’s waist before falling back to the ground, “been meaning to get one, just never found the time. Besides, it’s important to you.” Kid felt the raven haired man still in his arm before sinking in to the embrace.

“What's important to you?,” Law asked finally when Kid’s hand found his way to his hip.

“I dunno. I’m not so good at that kind of shit.” Kid grunted as he pulled Law on top of him. 

“You’ve got to pretend to try, Eustass-ya.” Law sighed as an insistent hand tugged at his shirt.

“I don’t like when you call me that.” Kid paused for a moment.

“Then what should I call you?” Law smirked, pulling the sweatshirt over his head.

“Something else.” He answered quietly, letting his hand trail over intricate tattoos on the expanse of smooth skin before expertly flicking open Law’s belt buckle.

“Maybe it’s not about the names themselves, but about how they are used?” Law whispered, fingers twining through the soft red hairs as he ground his hips down just so, "Kid."

The red head looked up at his husband staring down at him with a small smile framed against the backdrop of a thousand stars. He gave a breathy laugh before pulling him into a searing kiss. 

“God you're beautiful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist: "Beacon Hill" by Damien Jurado
> 
> Writing Zoro and Kid talking like dumb idiots gave me extra serotonin.  
> Thank you for the lovely kudos and comments, let me know what you think!


	3. I lo-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kid and Law arrive on the island Nami recommended, but find it's full of more questions than answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist: High Hopes by Kodaline  
> Please forgive any trash Italian grammar... also trash English grammar too.  
> Warning: this chapter is a little spicy and some homophobic comments

“Enemy off the starboard bow.” The cry from the crows nest of the Victoria Punk rang through the two ships.

“I don’t see anything, Wire.” Shachi yelled back from the fin of the Polar Tang, staring into the bare horizon to his right.

“Incoming!!”

“Enemy off the PORT, idiot. Port is LEFT,” Shachi’s voice rose an octave as he watched a projectile arc over the Punk, and explode barely a foot away form the submarine, “BEPO DIVE!”

“But the Cap-“

“I’m here.” Law gave Shachi a sharp nod as he dropped through the hatch, “dive.”

They had developed a rather ironclad, if not a bit rudimentary, attack plan in their months of traveling together. The Victoria Punk would attack from above, the Polar Tang would attack from below. Simple and, so far, deeply effective.

It took a bit of time though to get both crews on board with the more subtle details.

“You got that weird double edged sword last time, WE get the double barreled pistol this time,” Heat was arguing with Ikakku, both sets of hands gripping the barrel of the gun fiercely.

“Yea, but you guys took ALL the meat from that wild boar-“

“Die, scum” Ikakku and Heat both turned to see a blue haired pirate level them with a pistol. Ikakku barely had time to raise her own gun before the enemy pirate fell backwards from the force of a screw hurtling through his forehead. 

“Nice s-shot, C-captain,” Penguin gave Kid as tight salute as the red haired man stormed by, trailing foot prints of blood across the enemy ship. Kid ignored the first mate as he descended into the hold.

“Cap’n, let us sweep the ship,” Wire yelled as he watched Kid disappear below deck.

“Fuck up job you’ve done so far,” Kid stomped furiously through the cabins. He heard a noise to his left, and turned to see another pirate charging him with a drawn sword. With barely a flick of his finger, the man was hanging from the rafters by his own silver necklace.

Another enemy pirate got a fork through the throat, yet another was left riddled with pieces of wire.

 _Not yet_ Kid thought, _Not enough._ Kid couldn’t shake the feeling that had been trailing him since his chat with the green haired swordman. That condescending attitude that echoed damning words in his brain. 

_“Why did you marry him if you don’t love him?!”_

It pissed Kid off.

He sent another screw hurtling towards a cowering pirates forehead.

“Something bothering you, Eustass-ya?

Even after years of knowing the man in every possible way, his ability to just appear still had the red haired captain unnerved.

“Just cleaning out the trash.” He said, feigning calm as he sent another screw through another enraged face.

“Not that I particularly care, but don’t you usually leave this to your crew. I thought we were going to start a chart for Paradiso.” Law’s voice was quiet as he remained out of view.

Kid paused for a moment before looking up. Promises spoken under a blanket of stars suddenly came back to him.The look on Law’s face was unreadable, chin planted on his hand where he was seated on the stairs.

“Fine.” Kid grunted, letting one final screw loose before turning towards him.

“Don’t sound so enthusiastic,” the raven haired man hummed a small laugh, but there was something empty about the sound.

Empty face, empty tone.

Kid strode towards his husband, ignoring the soft protest as he pulled him to his feet, ring first. The momentum had their teeth hitting as lips crashed together.Kid let his hand thread through coarse hair, pressing hot kisses until he felt an answering smile curve against his lips.

“I suppose that works to.” The small smile remained on Law’s face even after they broke apart.

“Three days of drinkin’ and fuckin’ while we pick matching tats?” Kid’s lips curled into a lazy grin, “‘course I’m fuckin’ enthusiastic.”

“Well when you say it like that,” Law’s nose wrinkled in mock distaste. Still, he let his fingers hook around the red heads as they made their way above deck.

***

It took them a week to reach the vacation island. Kid still wasn’t sold on the idea of being dropped off like school children. He and Law had agreed that their crew should enjoy a much needed respite as well. They were given leave to fuck off to one of the conjoining island, famous for serving its alcohol as a vapor. Kid had no clue why anyone would want to get wasted by huffing on some contraption, half the fun of drinking was the well…drinking.

Nonetheless, their crews were off to get shit faced for three days straight while they…

Kid’s lip twitched in disgust at the sight of the tuxedo clad man waiting for them at the bottom of the gangplank.

“ _Buongiorno signori, e benvenuto a Paradiso_!,” The man gave a small bow, smile wide on his face.

“The fuck did he say?” Kid’ s eyes caught on an elegantly clad couple giggling quietly under a pergola draped in lilacs. Another couple sauntered by them arm in arm, stopping every few steps to throw saccharine smiles at another tuxedo clad man trailing after them with his camera poised. Kid almost gagged. He hated the idea of this place already

“ _Scusa_ , is this better? _Meglio_?” The man asked, blandly handsome face still pleasantly neutral.

“ _Si_ ,” Law hesitated for a moment, before giving a small shrug, “I’m sorry, I’m not as familiar with the language as I should be.”

“ _No, non ve preoccupare_. Don’t worry, this is fine,” the man nodded, “ _Per favore_ , follow me.” Kid tried to catch Law’s eye, but he was busy staring at the couple having their pictures taken. Kid didn’t miss the sad smile that twitched on Law’s lips.

***

Law wasn’t sure why he was feeling so out of sorts. He wasn’t someone who’s feelings were influenced by others, but he couldn’t help the sneaking suspicion that something was bothering Kid. He hadn’t hesitated when he agreed to take the weekend getaway, but ever since that night on the cliff he had become broodier than normal. Law was annoyed that he was annoyed that Kid was annoyed. It was a convoluted trail of emotions that disrupted his usually unperturbed existence. Even now, Kid couldn’t hide the blatant distaste on his face. Although Law supposed that had more to do with the rooms in which they would be spending the next three days.

A literal fountain was inlaid into the wall itself, some naked winged god reached towards the ceiling. Heavy brocade red curtains trailed excess over the matching carpet. A baroque style armoire was placed next to a matching vanity, but really the main focus was the giant king sized bed planted in the center of the room. Rose petals were strewn carefully over the duvet to form a curly heart, with towel swans and a bottle of Champagne finishing the odious picture.

They digested the room in a weighted silence.

“I can’t fuck in this room,” Kid finally grunted, eyes roving over the naked god statue, complete with a well placed fig leaf, and a swan whose sightless eyes seemed to follow them, “things fucking creeping me out.”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be ‘fucking’ here, Eustass-ya.” Law responded with a sigh, although he secretly agreed with the sentiment. There was something cloying about the room and its grandiose overturns

“I a’int staying here,” Kid threw his bag over his shoulder. Law bit down the weird anxiety that sparked again.

“It’s the only room left,” Law kept his voice casual, “unless you want to sleep in the horse barn. Although they might mistake you for one of their own.”

“A horse barn?” Kid gave him an incredulous look, “The fuck kind of place did that sea witch recommend.”

“We don’t have to stay if you’re going to bitch the entire time.” Law clipped, but he walked over and began unpacking his few changes of clothes into the armoire. Law stared at his yellow hoodie, sitting like a dirty dish rag in the swimming opulence of the drawer.

“Not used to this kinda shit,” Kid walked up to him, and dropped his bag on the floor, “Too much stuff.” He nodded his chin at the vase of white roses planted firmly in the middle of the vanity.

“It does seem excessive,” Law conceded, trying to make out the strange pictures on the vase. A blonde winged man firmly entwined with a red haired man seemed to be breaking through a sea of clouds. 

“I like this though,” Kid gave a short laugh, brusquely pushing aside the vase. Law looked up to a ghastly sight. He touched his cheeks with his hand, watching the ashen skinned man staring back at him do the same. He knew he felt exhausted, he had no idea he looked even worse. He tried to avoid looking at his reflection when he could help it. The wall to ceiling mirrors behind the armoire might turn out to be the most offensive thing in the room.

Arms circled his waist, his musings interrupted by a far more pleasing looking face hovering by his shoulder. He felt the small smile curl on his lips as fingers made quick work of his belt.

“This, on the other hand, is an excellent place to fuck.” Course laughter rang through the vaulted ceilings, as hands clasped through Laws, forcing them both to grab onto the top of the table. Law gave in to the warring sensations as he watched the red haired captain plant a trail of smudge kisses along his neck. Desire rushed through him, drowning the anxiety that had been building since they left the ship.

Their attempt to sully the vanity's perfection was interrupted by small knock on the door. After a moment of deliberation, Law managed to extricate himself from Kid’s very insistent arms. He opened the door a crack, hoping his pants-less state was enough of an indicator that this particular room should be left alone for the remainder of the weekend. Unfortunately, the tuxedo clad waiter kept his eyes firmly on the ceiling as he informed the room that dinner was a formal event, but formal wear was of course available to rent for a nominal charge.

Law was met with a disdainful sniff when he inquired about room service.

“We would prefer our distinguished guests experience the sumptuous feasts our chefs have prepared in a more suitable atmosphere for dining. One which includes a table and erm…,” the man finally threw a quick glance a Law’s very bare and very tattoo torso, “clothes. Sir. ”

Law had to close the door with the quickest “ _grazie_ ” as a hinge from the dresser hurtled into the thick wood. Such a temperamental husband.

A few hours later and Law had already neatly tailored the rental suit pants and jacket (a lesser known facet of his surgical skills). He had forgone the socks, integrated his own worn belt and narrowed the width of the generically satin black tie. He plopped his familiar white hat on his head and dared to stare in the mirror again. He grimaced at the bags under his eyes, but it was not too shabbily done for an hour of work. 

Kid had all but growled when Law suggested he try his on for alterations. So Law had to make a few educated guesses as Kid napped on the floor by his feet, “like a good dog”. The quip earned him a sharp kick, but it was a generally peaceful hour of work. They still hadn’t dared to so much as sit on the bed.

“Hurry up, we’re going to be late.” He called out to the grumbling form hidden behind the wardrobe door.

“I look like a dipshit,” Kid mumbled, closing the door with more force than necessary.

The snide retort caught in Law’s throat as he took in the sight of his husband. Black pants tailored just right, shirt left open slightly to show off a broad chest, and a suit jacket that did nothing to hide the powerful muscles bunched underneath, now tensed in annoyance. Kid scratched at the white headband holding back his read hair and fixed Law with an uncertain look. Law felt warmth bubble through him as he took in the unfamiliar expression.

“Hey idiot,” Law motioned him over, and Kid walked over with a sniff, “Your forgot to zip, how careless,” Law crouched down and deftly flicked the zipper down, “Ah, silly me.” Kid's confused expression morphed into a face splitting grin as Law dipped his hand into the now open trousers.

They could be a little late for their reservation.

***

Kid’s buoyant mood was quickly deflating for every second they stood in the dining room. The _Maître d'_ was a plain, if somewhat sycophantic man, the bowing became redundant after the fifteenth time in minutes. The amount of wax in his neat mustache could have kept a candle burning for days and Kid was tempted to use him to light the entire room up.

The dining hall was the grandest place they’d encountered yet: white table clothes, gold serving platters, and men and women dressed in attire that could feed his hometown for a year. Bile ate at his throat, and he was tempted to petulantly storm all the way back to the docks. It didn’t matter how much fancy shit Law tried to dress him up in, Kid would always be the child who once killed a man with a trip wire just so he could steal his new red sneakers.

He had loved those fucking sneakers, and he’d never apologize for it.

He felt eyes on him, glazing over his red hair, the scars across his eyes, the metal hand peeking out from a starched white cuff. Kid jammed his hand in his pockets, trying to hid his fists primed and ready for a fight. Between the oppressive opulence and the judgmental stares, he was feeling uncharacteristically jumpy.

He almost told Law he was fucking off to eat with the damn horses, but he was stopped by the look in the raven-haired man’s eyes.

Was Law into this sort of crap? Is that why he was staring up at the chandelier that dangled at the very center of the room like some wide eyed kitten. It was an elegant looking hunk of metal with thousands upon thousands of petite crystals forming swirling patterns waterfalling off a circular hoop. It looked like a rain burst on a sunny day. 

“That looks…familiar,” Law said, a forelorn smile finding its way onto his lips. His eyes finally found Kid’s again when the red head picked up a glass of tannish liquid from a passing waiter's tray and drained it in one go. “Be careful, that will knock you out rather quickly. I was hoping to have a nice dinner for once.”

Kid mumbled a brisk “m’not a little bitch” as he drained a second glass of the bubbly stuff. If this is what Law wanted, he’d do it, but he wasn’t fucking doing it sober.

The _Maître d’_ finally told them their table was ready, and soon Kid was knee deep in the sort of warfare he had never been prepared for.

“Do you see those grotesque tattoos?”

“How unsightly.”

Kid felt his hackles rise as he turned towards the source of the loudest of the chattering. A balding gentleman leaned over to whisper to his wife who was clutching her pearl necklace tightly as they passed. Kid was about to send a fork through both their eyeballs when he felt a warm hand slid through his own.

He turned back to Law, but the man was still staring at the chandelier. Kid tried to as well, but it just looked like a pile of money better spent on booze and ships and other necessities.

“Are those two men holding hands?”

“Disgraceful.”

Kid felt his teeth grind as he kept his eyes on the back of Law’s head. Law wanted a nice, quiet rich people dinner. Kid robbed rich people. In fact, he was tempted to snatch a few sizable diamond rings. The hull of the Victoria Punk needed a fresh coat of paint, plus he had seen the way Law eye’d his worn hoodie. He could buy his husband a thousand hoodies with just one of the rocks those biddies were wearing. The hand entwined in his tightened, as if Law could read the red-heads thought.

Kid just gave a soft snort and fell into the chair that was ceremoniously pulled out for him.

“Fucking waste.” Kid mumbled.

“What was that, Eustass-ya.” Law’s eyes flashed dangerous for some unknown reason. Kid felt his own anger rise, aggression misdirected towards the man in front of him.

“We’re fucking pirates,” he hissed, “we rob these fucking idiots, not bow to whatever shit they spew.”

“Don’t group me in with any of your unsavory practices. I have no interest in pillaging like some barbarian.” Law’s voice was light as his eyes caught on Kid’s bared chest.

“That’s not what your crew was saying when you lifted that sapphire necklace from Killer’s haul, “Kid smirked, but pressed his point. Law was just like him, he was just better at pretending than Kid. More like Kid didn’t give a fuck what people thought of him.

“I will never say no to a well earned treasure fought for on the seas, but I’m not going to roam around a fancy establishment lifting women’s heirlooms,” Law gave a bland sniff, “it's passé.”

“I’ll remember that next time yer crews starving. Ye can feed ‘em with your damn morals.” Kid retorted, draining another glass of the fizzing drink. A waiter walking by quickly refilled it. It was only enjoyable aspect of the island so far. Well…besides the mirrors.

“Fine. You can take a _few_ souvenirs before we leave Monday morning. We'll need our crew and our ships, anyways, so can you at least attempt to blend in now. I’m not particularly comfortable with the flagrant wealth either, but I can at least pretend to be refined” Law drawled before snatching the glass out of Kid’s hand, draining it in one go, “try, for me Eustass-ya” Kid almost believed Law’s bravado, that was until his eyes flicked back up to the chandelier now hanging over then.

“Bullshit.” Kid muttered, draining another glass of the almost magically refilling bubbly liquid. He barely even felt it slip down his throat and land warm in his stomach, “you love this shit. you’re fucking obsessed with those dumb pieces of glass.”

“Just looks familiar...,” Law murmured, suddenly quiet. He turned to as passing waiter, “ _Scusatemi_ , where did that chandelier come from?”

“Ah, of course. It's very unique, _si_?” The man looked up with a smile, “it came to our halls about fifteen years ago, but we do not know where it originate from. Is an enjoyable mystery for us and our guests. Maybe it belonged on a grand pirate ship that sank? Or some cursed kingdom halfway across the world, perhaps? The mystic only adds to its beauty, _no_?”

“It does.”

Most would not have noticed, but Kid noticed. He noticed any new emotion that found its way onto Law’s face. It took Kid a moment to recognize the small break in Law’s normally pleasant demeanor.

Anguish.

That was it. Something strange hooked into Kid’s heart and he felt the sudden urge to flip the table upside down, punch the waiter in the face and rip down every single one of those glittering crystals. Anything to make Law never feel that emotion again. 

“Does that man really think lipstick will fix that hideous face.” A mock whisper floated by them.

Kid barely recognized the shrill scream, so lost was he in his own thoughts. He turned in time to watch a headless body fall neck first into a plate of _OssoBucco_. The soft blue glow disappeared as quickly as it was cast.

“Quiet dinner, huh?” Kid turned back to Law with a harsh smile.

“I seem to have lost my appetite.” Law leveled him with a pleasantly bland face. The waiter seemed to have connected the dots as to who was responsible for the sudden upheaval of the dining room. He hid his look of horror rather admirably as he turned back to the two men.

“Would our esteemed guests prefer dinner in their room, _si_?”

“Yes” they both answered in unison. 

Food was ignored in favor of the never-ending supply of wine. Well tailored clothes were in a rumpled pile on the floor as the rose petals ground into the duvet cover, all previous inhibitions forgotten.

Kid could barely keep his hands off his husband. He felt like tiny electric currents were shooting through his body, even as his mind seemed to float above the clouds . He had been drunk countless of times, but he had never felt like this before. Likehe was a piece of circuit that only lite up only when his husband was brushing his lips over every inch of his exposed skin.

He leaned back on the bed, letting his hand rest underneath his head as he stared at the man moving on top of him. He secretly enjoyed these rare moments when Law worked his aggression out on him. It was intoxicating to watch his husband drive himself into his own mind numbing pleasure. Kid didn’t even mind feeling like a glorified sex toy as fingernails dug into his hips, breathe exhaling sharply with every downward movement.

“Fuck, Law,” Kid ran a hand over his face, grinning like a maniac, trying hard not to reach out and dig his own hand into bony hips. Between his husband’s blissed out face and the alcohol quickly turning his brain into air, Kid felt fucking incredible. He closed his eyes against the sensations building in him. Life was fucking amazing, wasn't it? His fuzzy thoughts hummed in agreement. Their crews were getting along, and he was currently on the softest bed he’d ever laid on, fucking the most beautiful man he’d ever laid eyes on.

His barely coherent brain told him he should say exactly that.

“Fuuuck, Law I lo-“

Kid’s eye popped open. Those weren’t the words he wanted to say, were they? He felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on him, the alcohol curdled painfully in his stomach. He looked up at Law, but the man showed no signs of hearing the words that almost slipped out, too lost in his own enjoyment. Still. Kid wrapped an arm around the slender waist and turned, effortlessly flipping their positions.

“Wha?” Law’s eyes were dazed confusion as he looked at Kid now poised over him. Kid quickly swallowed the question with an aggressive kiss as he slammed his hips forward.

No, no not yet. He wasn’t ready for that yet.

He’d fucking never be.

_“Sometimes I’m afraid of never feeling again,” Kid whispers into the darkness._

_“Why?” A voice from the void asks, soft and familiar._

_“No dad, watched mom die when I was 7. Didn’t even have enough money to build her a proper pyre, so just put her on a boat and pushed her into the ocean.” The words flow from Kid, uninhabited for once by bravado or ego, “It eats at ya, the sadness. Chips away what makes you human until your nothing but rage and teeth. And it’s always fucking hungry. It takes it all, every feeling you got until your nothin’. Just an empty sea and a cloudless sky. ”_

_“Is that all you are, my sunlight. Nothin’?” And its like the voice speaks the words into being because suddenly there is something. Fragments of light illuminate a soft smile and it’s like the first sign of a breeze after days with no wind in the sails: life preserving and life affirming, something that you hold tightly as it whispers sweetly in your ear._

_You will survive another day._

_“I was,” is all Kid says as he follows the small coils of light. Raven colored hair splays across a white pillow, brown eyes stare openly into his, lips that seem to permanently rest in a small smile. Kid feels his heart swell as he takes in the man in front of him, unclothed except for a thin white sheet resting on his hips. His eyes follow the light down, marveling at the expanse of unblemished skin. He had never imagined this man without those markings, it was almost too vulnerable a sight. An unfathomable rush of protectiveness washes over Kid._

_“I’ll never tell you.” Kid traces the patterns he had committed to memory before letting his hand come to rest against a warm cheek._

_“Why not, my heart?” The boy that lay across from him was patient, serene. Kid never realized how young he looks when he isn’t frowning. He wondered if he ever looked liked that. Maybe they were both young. Children stomping through adult emotions in too big boots._

_“Am I your heart?”_

_“Am I yours?” The rebuttal was effortless in its simplicity._

_“Yea. I think so. Whatever’s left of it,” Kid sighs, letting his thumb trace full lips, “the good stuff. That’s what you are.”_

_“It’s a shame that you can't tell me the truth, it might make me stay.”_

_“Truth?”_

_“That you love me.” The smile that breaks across the man’s face is so full of joy that Kid swears he has married a god, “I'll never leave you if you love me."_

Kid’s eyes flew open and he promptly fell over the side of the bed heaving. His stomach felt like it was made of acid.

“Kid?”

Kid’s heart was racing a mile a minute as he looked over at the raven-haired man eyeing him warily. Face closed and distant, the only hint of concern in the slight pull of his lips.

Gone was the vulnerable eyes, unmarked skin. Gone was the smile that could fucking light up the night sky.

He wanted it.

It was true, wasn’t it? It would make him happy, it would make him stay? Stay in a way that even a piece of paper with their names on it couldn't...All he had to say where those three words, right?

“I lo-“

His throat seemed to close up, swallowing the words back into his mouth. Acid burned up his throat and he almost gagged.

Law rolled his eyes at the look of pain on Kid’s face and went back to reading, “I told you not to drink all that prosecco. Don’t vomit on me, idiot.”

“I’m not -“ Kid could barely get the syllables out. Gone were the words that had so easily fallen from lips that looked just the same. A sharp pain tore through Kid and he wasn’t sure if it was hurt or more bile, but he was heaving once again.

The fuck was wrong with him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the dream first and then the rest of the story just fell into place around it. I didn't think I'd get into those words this quickly, but here we are. Think Kid'll ever says those 3 words?


	4. Snapshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short snapshot while walking through the gardens on Paradiso.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a little moment that evolved when I was writing the next chapter. Thought it deserved a page of its own. Enjoy  
> Soundtrack: “Fix You” by Coldplay

They walked the grounds in a contemplative silence. The atmosphere in their ornate room had become too stifling for either man to remain in for long. There was a weight to their steps as they passed easily through the maze, elegantly trimmed shrubs barely reaching Law’s hips.

“ _Un foto_?” A tuxedo clad man waved an old fashioned camera with a smile. Law paused momentarily before throwing a wordless shrug at Kid, who blinked at him in confusion.

“Look at the camera, idiot.” Law pushed at Kid’s arm with a small smile.

“Why?”

“For a picture.” Law’s voice hardened slightly. Why did everything have to be a fight with Kid lately.

“Why?”

“Just. fucking. smile.” Law hissed and forcibly turned Kid’s chin towards the camera.

Neither men smiled as the camera gave a metallic click. Kid jumped slightly at the noise, eyes widening in surprise.

“I will send the print to your rooms” the man’s own smile faded a little as he took in the men before him.

“Thanks,” Law gave a polite nod before trailing after the muttering red-haired man, “What was that?” Law was feeling very weary of always chasing after his husband.

“Don’t understand this place.” Kid muttered again, a little louder.

“What’s there not to understand, idiot. Have you never had your photo taken before.” Law snorted, stuffing his hands angrily in his pockets.

“‘Course I have just…not like that”

“Like what?” Law pressed, it was the most words he’d heard out of Kid’s mouth in hours. Kid wasn’t the chatty type, but this much silence was unnerving.

“Like that. Just standing there and shit.”

“You’ve never posed for a picture?” Law’s voice was incredulous, even as Kid flashed him a sour expression.

“Fuck no, the fuck I need a picture for.” Kid’s voice was hot with embarrassment as he ran his hand through his hair, “The ones on my Wanted posted are dumb looking enough.”

“None of your childhood, family, Killer, nothing?” Law tried not to sound too surprised, but really. Even with his own scrap heap of childhood, he’d taken a damn picture. Many, in fact. His family all dressed up for a gala, Cora-san jokingly messing up his hair, Baby 5 crying over a frog Law was dissecting, even his damn crew, laughingly posing in front of the newly created Polar Tang. The isolated snapshots were somehow clearer in his mind than the events themselves.

“Why would I need a stupid picture.” Kid hunched his shoulders practically to his ears.

“They’re like memories, but more reliable,” Law shrugged, trying not to think about why it mattered so much that Kid liked pictures, “How else would we remember this exact moment in time, the situation surrounding it.”

“I dunno, just remember I guess.” Kid huffed, his ambivalence clear.

“You’ll forget. We all forget. Neuropathways get pruned every single day. Thousands of mental snapshots erased or changed slightly every time you close your eyes,” Law stared as a particularly vibrant colored bird strut past them, “A picture preserves that moment in time, it’s impervious to the natural fallacy that memory is err to.”

“If memories fade, they fade. Who cares. ’m not some rich blood like you. I don’t need to sit and cry over my past.” The words were biting, clearly carelessly thrown away.

Law felt the headache pressing against his temple as he ground his teeth together. “I would really like to remember what color my mothers eyes were ” He grit out, annoyance flaring hot mixed with his frustration, “too bad those pictures burned up with the rest of my family.”

Kid finally stopped stamping angrily and turned back towards him. Their eyes met for a second before Kid gruffly grabbed at Law’s hand, harshly pushing their fingers together.

Law was momentarily silenced by the emotion he had seen in Kid’s eyes.

Hurt.

Damn it.

Caring about someone was troublesome.

The admission took Law by surprise. He cared about Kid, and Kid cared about him. He knew it as clearly as he knew the hand closed around his.

He saw it every time that familiar scarred face discovered a new emotion, fighting tooth and nail not to acknowledge it, but losing every time.

He saw it in his own anger, a desperate attempt to hide feelings that were rising from the ashes of a past life.

They cared about each other and were shit at saying it.

Law let the silence descend, but he waved when he saw the photographer try and hurry past them again.

“Could we get another?” He asked. Kid looked at him in surprise, trying to disentangle his hand, but Law kept his grip firm.

“Just keep your eyes on me, ok?” Law let a small smile rise on his face, yellow eyes met his and he watched in relief as Kid’s lips twitched up.

They barely heard the metallic click.

The photo was waiting for them when they returned from their walk. Law took a quick shower, surprised to find Kid in the exact same place he left him. He was hunched over the bed, staring down at the photo that looked so small in his hands.

“We look different.” Kid looked up at him finally, wide-eyed in surprise.

“What do we look like, Kid,” Law asked softly as he sat down on the bed. He felt Kid’s arm wrap around him as he rested his cheek against a strong shoulder.

Law finally looked at the photo. Their hands were gently entwined, bodies angled towards each other, the light shining over their faces seemed to have erased all the angry words that had volleyed between them just moments before. It was like the camera had stripped them of the pretenses that even after 3 years still haunted them, leaving them with nothing but bright eyes and soft smiles.

They looked…

“Happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all the kudos and comments. This has been a surprisingly cathartic fic to write! More soon, let me know what you think :)


	5. I love you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly hadn't meant this chapter to be the end of this particular series, but once I got started, the ending sorta fell into place. Thank you so much for reading!  
> Playlist: "From the Dining Table" by Harry Styles

_“Hey brat”_

_“Cora-san?” Law’s eyes blink open. He’s sitting at a cafe, one leg crossed over the other as he stares at the man in front of him._

_“Lookin’ good! Prouda ya.” Cora's smile was the same as ever, bright lipstick exaggerating the wide grin._

_Funny I should marry a man who also loved lipstick, Law thinks vaguely as he looks around. Voices rise in the crowd and suddenly he’s bombarded with them._

_“Is that him?”_

_“One of the worst generation?”_

_“Did you hear he’s married?”_

_“What unlucky woman would marry him?”_

_“It’s a MAN! That handsome supernova with the red hair and the metal arm.”_

_Handsome? Law wonders what Kid would say if he heard that…though it wasn’t exactly true. Kid is more than handsome. The waiters at the cafe are handsome, same bland faces with the same bland expressions. Kid is dynamic. Law can read his mood the second he walk into a room, can tell exactly what he’s thinking. His smirk can say more than a thousand words pouring out of any other mouth._

_“I wish I could tell him that,” Law utters the words out loud._

_“Ye can!” Cora responds with a laugh, “Use yer words Law, like I tol’ ye when ye were jest a scrappy lil monster. Can’t keep it all bottled up, can ye? It’ll explode one o’ these days. Jest be careful it don’t take ‘im with ya”_

_“How do you love a broken thing?” Law asks, the words leave his mouth like birds escaping a cage._

_“Love ain’t a choice. That’s like askin’the tides not ta change. Ain’t up to the water, it’s up to the moon and the sun and their eternal dance.” Cora’s painted face looks harsh in the sunlight, “Tide jest happens.”_

_“I don’t understand,” Law confesses, picking at the peach tartin on his place,_

_“Ye ain’t broken, brat,” Cora looks at him with pure affection, “ye jest scared. Always have been. Scared to lose more than ye gained. Ain’t no way ta live, kid. Didn’t my parting words teach ya that? Ain’t what love is.”_

_“Love is a burden.”Law huffs._

_“It is!” Cora throws back his head and laughs fully, “It’s a pain so sharp ye’ll wanna carve yer own guts out. But cor’, when its good. It’s worth e'ry treasure in the sea.”_

When Law’s eyes blinked open again, he found himself back in their stifling hotel room. His eyes caught on the small photograph propped up against empty prosecco bottles crowding the small end table. Tension thrummed through him, as Cora’s parting words rang in his head.

Every treasure in the sea, mh?

He couldn’t seem to get breath into his lungs, as pain laced through his skull. Damn prosecco. He knew better than to drink so much, but the bottles seemed to keep reappearing like clockwork. He sat up, planning on opening a window, but a hand shot from under the covers out to wrap around his wrist. A sharp tug had him falling back onto the bed.

“No,” the word mumbled half asleep as Law found himself smothered in a too warm embrace. The familiar tang of metal and soap washed over him, and Law’s eyes were closing again before he could open his mouth to protest.

They rose late, wordlessly falling on each other when red eyes opened to met pale yellow.The silence stretched as hands grabbed almost desperately at clothes, skin. Even their muttered profanities as they collapsed back onto the bed seemed more muted than usual.

They lay there, tangled in sheets, tracing inane patterns onto sweat soaked skin until the sun was high in the sky.

Hunger pains eventually forced them to risk eating in the dining room again.

“ _Un menu, signori_ ,” a waiter smiled, procuring a cream colored portfolio with a flourish.

“ _Grazie_ ,” Law murmured as he scanned the menu in his hands, “what looks good?”

“I don’t fucking know what half this shit means,” Kid grumbled but continued on after a heart beat, “that thin ham shit. S’good. That.”

“ _Prosciutto, signor_?” The waiter smiled patiently.

“I don’t fucki-“

“A caprese salad, a sandwich with prosciutto and a doppio espresso, _per favore_ ,” Law cut in, handing the menu back. His gaze flicked up to the chandelier dangling over his head and he couldn’t help the memories that kept pushing against his thoughts. It looked so much like the one in the ballroom back home on Flevance, but there was no way. They were halfway across the world.

“- shitty chandelier,”

“Mh?” Law looked back down at Kid, eyes questioning.

“Why’re you always looking at that shitty chandelier?” He repeated, enunciating slightly to show his aggravation.

“Didn’t realize I needed to give you a reason.” Was all he replied, refusing to meet Kid's baiting.

“Looks dumb,” Kid said.

“Have you looked in a mirror lately?” Law retorted, frowning slightly at the words leaving his mouth. That’s not what he meant to say. He watched Kid's lips pull into a frown.

They were like broken glass, all jagged edges where they had once been whole. Or somethinglike whole. He didn’t remember them being this way before the island. What had changed?

He watched, eyes growing wide as a waiter came by to refill their glasses of prosecco. The endless stream of bubbly wine that seemed to follow their every step. He put his hand over his glass, signaling his refusal.

“Something wrong, signore?” The waiter smiled politely.

“It’s rather gauche to drink before lunch,” he responded cooly, avoiding the confused look the red head was shooting him.

“You are on vacation, everyone drinks on vacation!” The rehearsed laugh grated against Law's ears, “Do not resist it.”

“Ignore ‘im,” Kid grunted finally, raising his empty glass, “I’ll take more.”

“Of course,” the waiter smoothly filled Kid's glass once, twice, three times. Now that Law was aware of it, the prosecco flowed endlessly around him. The couple next to them, laughing brightly as they touched glasses, the man standing at the entrance waiting for his date nervously clutching the fragile stem, the angry couple silently nursing their rapidly emptying glasses.

The drink was everywhere. He frowned as he watched Kid drain his fifth glass.

“Maybe you should lay off the dri-“

“I have something to say,” Kid’s voice slurred in a way Law had never heard before. They’d been drunk together how many times, but never like this.

Something was wrong.

“Maybe we should head back to the room, Eustass-ya.” Law stood to get up, but a firm hand wrapped around his wrist kept him locked in place.

“Law I lo-“ Kid’s face crinkled in frustration as the words seemed to get stuck in his throat, “I lo-, fuck, why can’t I say it, I - “

Law's hand quickly covered Kid’s mouth before he could try again. He could feel Kid’s voice protesting again his hold, but he kept his grip firm. Law fought to control his own breath, coming out now in strange shallow pants.

“Don’t tell me like this,” Law finally said, as something strange stirred in his chest. He had never felt the need to protect the red haired supernova. Kid was always strong enough to defend himself, never losing control of the freedom he had fought so hard to gain for himself. Yet here Law was, stopping Kid from saying something he would resent for a long time.

“But I-“

“Eustass-ya, I mean it.” Law almost relented as he felt the soft lips plant kisses along his palm, “Not like this.” He let his hand linger for a moment against a flushed cheek before he threw a searching look around the hall. He spied a hallway where their waiter disappeared with an empty bottle, only to reappear seconds later with a fresh one.

Law was reticent to leave Kid in this state, but he needed to get to the bottom of this disaster.

Law found a waiter carefully uncorking a bottle in the small hallway between the dining hall and the kitchen. He lifted his fingers, and before the man could blink, his heart was in Law’s outstretched hands.

“What are you putting in those drinks?”

“Is-is that mine?” The waiter stammered, staring at the heart in awe as he pat his own chest. “C _he stranno,”_ he murmured as he felt the stillness underneath his palm.

“What is in the drinks.” Law gave the heart a sharp squeeze and the man before him winced.

“Prosecco, _signore_!” The waister rubbed at his chest with one hand before pouring a glass as proof. The tannish bubbles reflected Law’s glowering face.

“What is in the drinks,” Law was unrelenting as he tightened his grasp again.

“ _Basta_ , please,” the man coughed, clutching at his chest, “ _Io non so_ , I do not know, truly.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Law’s eyes narrowed as he watched the man collapse to the floor.

“It’s true _signore_ ,” Law turned sharply to see the Maitre’D standing there, “Please release him.” Law paused a moment before opening his hand, the heart left his hand with a pop. The waiter pressed his hand over his chest, relief clear on his face as he felt his heartbeat. He gave thetuxedo clad man a small shrug before stumbling into the kitchen.

“Will you answer my questions or would you like to be next?” Law turned to the Maitre’D with a pleasant smile, “what is in the prosecco?”

“Do you need there to be something in the prosecco, sir” The Maitre’D’s asked with a small sigh, “maybe you are uncomfortable with the truths that are being exposed, mh?”

“I assure you, not as uncomfortable as you will be living without your heart in your chest,” Law answered amiably as a second heart appeared in his hand.

A small crease appeared on the Maitre’D’s forehead as Law pulled out a small scalpel he carried for such occasions.

“Shall I begin the dissection?” He pressed the sharp tip to the left ventricle and the man clutched at his chest.

“The _Sogno-Sogno_ Fruit” the Maitre’D admitted quickly, “The effects of the fruit travels on the owners breath, so we distill the water vapors. We have found the effects are more pleasant when mixed with the natural effervescence of alcohol.”

“What does the fruit do?” Law’s curiosity got the better of him as he lowered the scalpel a fraction of an inch.

“Influences your dreams of course. Unlocks the darkest corners, turns your deepest fears and desires into something you can see when you close your eyes,” A wistful expression spread across the mans face, “People come from thousands of miles for a taste of hope, possibility. A chance to dive deep into their dreams, and emerge better for it. Do you not feel enlightened for what you have learned about yourself?”

“All I’ve learned is a lesson I’ve been taught too many times,” Law frowned as he turned the heart in his hand over, “there’s no such thing as paradise.”

“I have never met such obstinate people,” the Maitre’D sniffed, “Your dancing around the truth of the matter only hurts you more, you know. The more you resist the pull of the _Sogni d’Oro_ , the angrier you will be. For what kind of human are we without dreams?”

“Humans who have lived long enough to know that having dreams is a luxury of the weak,” Law snorted, “We don’t need your idiotic scheming. Put him back to normal.”

“Leave this island and the effects will wear off in a few days,” the Maitre’D shrugged blandly, “if that is what you want.”

“Of course it is.” Law felt himself bristle, “we are fine how we are.”

“Even two of the worst generation cower in the face of such power,” the man hummed a sweet tune, “how young you both are, how angry at the mere suggestion of hope. Your love must be tremendous to remain by each other in the absence of such dreams.”

“Fuck off,” Law pocketed the heart with a sour expression, “You’ll get this back when the effects of this damn thing have worn off.”

“You will find it is not _my_ heart you want, young supernova,” the man just laughed as Law turned towards the door. He was mentally cursing as he pulled out his transponder snail.

“What’s up Captain?” Bepo’s high voice pinged.

“Come get us,” Law bit out, “Now.” He heard the scrambling of feet and a soft thud followed by an ‘ _oomph_ ’

“Captain’s angry,” Bepo whispered and few a few moments, all Law heard was a flurry of noises and low beep of equipment.

“We’ll be at the dock in 10 minutes, Captain!”

“Good,” Law barely had time to exhale before the tell tale thump of boots.

He rounded the corner to find himself face to face with 50 marines, guns aimed at him.

“That’s him, officer, the man who stole my Hecabee’s head,” the woman from the night before screamed, still clutching her pearls.

“With a name like that, I think I did him a favor.” Law extended a hand, letting the blue light wash over the room. “Shambles.” He watched with a satisfied smile as body parts filled the air. Screams rang high into the ceiling as patrons scrambled away from the floating pieces.

“Die, pirate,” Law turned to see an officer hefting a gun aimed at his head. An explosion cracked and Law was shocked to feel a pain graze his arm.

Seastone bullets, damn. By the time Law lifted his arm again, the officer was collapsing to the ground, riddled with tiny screws.

“Eustass,” he turned to see the red head storming towards him, a furious look on his face, “Bepo’ll be here in 5 minutes.”

“You go ahead, something I gotta do!” Kid yelled at him as he stormed past.

“Idiot, what the fuck could you have forgotten?!” Law yelled back.

“Just meet me on the sub, ‘k?!” Kid called over his shoulder, before raising a metal arm. Small screws shot out, impaling the still floating body parts of the marines.

“Fine, idiot.” Law huffed as he turned, “watch out for the bullets.”

He turned and ran towards their room, quickly throwing their belongings into their rucksacks. He scanned the room, heart stuttering for a moment when he noticed the photo still propped against an empty bottle. He shoved it into his pants pocket as he turned towards the door.

A wall of bullets greeted him, turning the large bed into splinters. The mirror shattered into a thousand pieces and Law couldn’t help but laugh as he watched the poor fountain statue lose an arm. He dug the heart out of his coat pocket and threw it at the line of incoming soldiers.

Fuck him. His gaze caught on the balcony door and he ran. Girlish shrieks rang up as the still beating heart was tossed from hand to hand.

 _Serves ‘em right_ , Law laughed as he dropped over the railing. He hit the ground with a jolt and didn’t stop running until his feet his the wooden planks of the dock.

The Polar Tang was already there, Bepo waving wildly through the hatch.

“Captain Kid’s downstairs!”

“Go,” Law yelled, as another spray of bullets ricocheted off the metal material. He was thrown against the wall as the sub dived, injured arm sending pain rippling through him. Something in his leg twinged from where he landed on his ankle. Would have been a lot easier to escape if Kid had been there. What the hell was so important that he had to double back?

Law was tired and aggravated as he trudged down the metal staircase to his room. Fuck whatever that waiter said, he was going to rip the dipshits head off when he-

Law stopped in his tracks when he saw the crystals glittering above his bed. The chandelier took up the entirety of the ceiling, half reflecting the fiery red hair of the man sitting on Law’s desk chair.

“It’s from your homeland, isn’t it?” Kid expression was dark as he gazed at the surgeon, “that’s why ya kept looking at it. And the shit that waiter said…took me a bit to realize it.”

Law walked over in a daze, letting his fingers gingerly graze over the thousands upon thousands of teardrop shaped crystals.

There. He traced the symbol etched onto the largest crystal in the very center of the chandelier. It was the same symbol tattoo’d on the back of his hand.

Law felt a pressure build behind his eyes when he turned to face Kid.

“Why?” A million questions and thoughts burst through Law, but this seemed the most important one to be answered.

“I don’t know how,” Kid’s expression twisted with frustration, “I don’t fucking know how to say it, ok. It’s fucking annoying. Just three dumb words. I lo-”

“I love you.” The words tumbled out of Law’s lips as he stared at his husband, “I don’t care if you can’t say it. I’ll say it for you.”

Before he could blink, lips were on his, stealing the breath from his lungs. It was only a moment, though, before Kid pulled back. 

“Are you sure?” The question was barely a whisper, but Law heard it.

“Ask me again once I get this shit Devil Fruit residue out of our bodies, but my answer will be the same.” Insistent fingers found the hem of his shirt, and soon they were collapsing on each other, encompassed by the familiar feel of a too small bed.

Law’s spine arched as hot kisses pressed a torturously slow line down his stomach. His hands found their way up and down the well mapped surface of Kid's back. Except this time, shadows danced patterns along the too strong shoulders. It took Law a moment to realize that the etching on the chandelier cast a shadow on the pale skin and a nameless joy burst through him.

“This one,” Law pulled Kid’s face up suddenly. He waved the back of his hand in front of Kid’s face, “I want you to get this one tattoo’d.”

“What’s it mean?” Kid rested his chin on Law’s stomach.

“It was a point of pride for Flevance citizens, that nothing in their city ever went to waste. We were a city of craftsmen, miners, surgeons. People who lived and died on the merits of their own two hands.” Law hummed, as Kid traced a finger over the simple design, “The best artisans would stamp this onto pieces they repurposed from old material. Broken things they had reshaped into something even more beautiful” The only sound in the room was the soft clinking of crystals as the submarine hurtled through the sea. Kid pressed gentle lips against the symbol and Law felt heat pool in his stomach.

“Ya callin’ me beautiful?” Kid threw him a knowing smirk.

“Fuck off,” Law laughed, fully and freely. Who needed to verbalize something so axiomatic? 

It took a while for Kid to return those three words though. Far longer than it took for Law to pull the effects of the S _ogno-Sogno Fruit_ out of their bodies. Longer than it took them to claw their way past all the other supernovas, until it was just The Straw Hats and them fighting to reach the One Piece.

Longer than it would have taken most normal people to say those words.

But Kid and Law had never be considered normal people.

It wasn’t until much, much later, in fact. They sat on the cliff, the moaning members of their crews littering the beach below as they watched the Mugiwaras set sail on a straight course to Raftel. Kid’s head was resting on Law’s lap, as Law pressed probing fingers in his copious wounds.

“Told you not to let Luffy-ya hit you,” Law softly chastised as he sewed up the gaping hole in Kid’s side. He pushed in the man's dislocated shoulder with a pop, and was about to get started on his bleeding leg wound when Kid grabbed his hand.

“What the fuck is next?” Kid grunted, letting their fingers interlace naturally, comfortable despite the thick layer of blood and grime. 

“Whatever the fuck you want, Captain Kid,” Law finally smiled, lifting his face to feel the last streams of sun on his face, “We’re finally free.”

“Yea.” Kid paused for a moment, letting his thumb trace over the smooth metal of their matching bands, “I love you.”

Law's laughter came from the very core of his being, that small dark place that was only just beginning to step into the light. They had nothing but each other and an open sea now. 

“That’s a good start.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know how this fic turned into Xtra soft KidLaw, but thank you for indulging me. I hope you enjoyed reading these vignettes as much as I enjoyed writing them. You have not idea how much appreciate all your lovely, insightful comments.  
> Planning to start an AU just about these boys soon. Any requests/thoughts/prompts? Or do you prefer sticking with the One Piece world?


End file.
